Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Meanderings






A Nice Surprise! Last evening I was reading email when I noticed one that had as its subject line "picture of Marge and Rocky." When I opened it, there was a short note from Marjorie Lewis' great granddaughter, Abby, who told me the photo was among some of the dog items she had that belonged to Marge.

Some of you who have been reading this blog for a while probably read the tribute I wrote to Marge in April 2009. Those who have not, I invite you to go to the archives and read about the impact Marge had on my life. She was my mentor, my handler, and my friend and I owe her so much. If not for her guidance I know I would not be where I am today.

That said, it was wonderful to see the picture Abby sent. Marge looks great, although it is certainly not the most attractive picture of Rocky (aka Multiple Group Winning American Canadian Champion Joyslyn's Piece of the Rock ROM), Joyslyn's first champion. The other picture of Rocky was taken at a Kansas City show by a Hallmark photographer. It appeared on two calendars.

Show Results. The Elgin Kennel Club show last weekend was fun. Five of us grooming 10 Lhasas, a Maltese, and a Cavalier were crowded into our little grooming area, but everyone managed well enough. Let me begin by saying it was a good practice weekend for us and that's about it. Walker was entered only on Saturday (because I wanted to get home ASAP on Sunday). Walker won the Breed but did not place in Group. Saturday Zach was tentative going around on his own. He shows much better when there are other dogs in the ring, so he perked right up when he had to go in for Winners Dog. I was much happier with his performance then and also on Sunday when he was more relaxed in the ring. Belle was along for the ride on Saturday but was entered on Sunday.

A rundown on the winners: Saturday Karen's black Lhasa, Ace, won the major, which put him one point away from his championship. The Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Best Opposite Sex on Saturday was Jan's Dora so she got a major also.

Sunday, LaVonne's Parker took Winners Dog for the major. LaVonne was thrilled since it was Parker's first weekend at shows. Zach was showing nicely and he took Reserve. Belle actually got herself in gear and walked. I cannot get her to get her head up so it is very frustrating to know she has a nice outline but looks dorky with her head lower than it should be. She took 3rd in her class of three. Melissa's bitch took Winners Bitch but the judge did not cross over the points. Parker took Best of Breed.

Then I came home to find out that a simple little carpentry job my husband was working on turned into a trip to the ER when the table saw got his thumb! It was chewed up so that the doctor was not able to stitch it but Lynn said it was not cut as badly as he feared when it happened.

Looking Ahead. Desi, Belle, and Walker are entered in the Des Moines show on September 11th and 12th. Then we are all at home for a while until early October for the Freeport and Stone City shows in Illinois.

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Blowin' Off Some Steam

To the tune of "It's My Party:"

"It's my blog and I can write what I want to, write what I want to, write what I want to…"

I can also censor the comments!

Just so you all know…someone "Anonymous" who dislikes CCF and David Martosko seemed to take exception to my last post when I quoted from the article where Martosko pointed out how an idea goes from unthinkable to public policy with the right marketing strategy and related that concept to HSUS and its current campaign against dog breeders, reputable or not. The commenter then went on to say, "Your daughter will read this someday and be ashamed…"

WTH???

I, with my fairly small readership of Lhasa lovers, am a dubious threat to any AR agenda. Note that I have only 12 followers -- and probably a few who read the blog occasionally without declaring themselves "followers." Nonetheless, in case no one knew it before, I reserve the right (1) to write what I want to and (2) to censor what I consider inappropriate comments. I underscore the right you have not to read this blog if it bothers you and to make a comment if it does. (But please refer to #2 above.)

Also note that all I did in the last post was point out who Martosko was so that the quotation I used from him would be placed in some context. I did not suggest we should all worship at his feet.

It's my blog…etc., etc.

And to the commenter: If you had left out that last sentence about my daughter, you might actually have gotten the comment published. And if you have an agenda, as you seem to have, get your own blog. They're free you know!

"You could blog too if it matters to you."

To better times folks!

Joyce

Monday, August 23, 2010

A Special Day, An Upcoming Show, Some Updates and Other Stuff

Hi Everyone! Today is a special day for me! Twenty-seven years ago today my daughter Erikka was born!

Everyone knows me for producing and showing fine Lhasa Apsos, but I am most proud to be Erikka's mother. She is an exceptional young woman. I consider her not only my daughter but also my friend.

I don't think she regularly reads this blog, but Rikk, if you happen to be reading this one, I love you!

Speaking of birthdays, I had my own on the 15th. I saw a greeting card recently that was so true. On the front: Inside every old person… On the inside…There's a young person wondering what the hell happened. So very true! Next year I am facing "the new 40," and mostly I'm wondering where the heck all those years went and how they managed to sneak by so fast.

I am gearing up this week for two days of showing at the Elgin Kennel Club shows held at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, IL. Zach and Walker will be shown on Saturday. Zach and Belle will be shown on Sunday. If you live nearby, come to the show to see us. We show in Ring 7 at 1:15 on Saturday and Ring 6 at 11:30 on Sunday. I'll probably need help holding dogs at ringside, so if you show up, I may put you to work!

An update on the puppies and adults for whom we were seeking homes is in order. My WI friends tell me that all have been spoken for except a young adult female and one of the now 10 or 11 week old puppies.

Another update related to the post regarding anti-dog legislation:
The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is a Washington nonprofit watchdog group supported by a mixture of industry stakeholders and members of the general public. Serving as CCF's Director of Research and principal expert on the animal rights movement, food toxicology, and environmental issues, David Martosko has led CCF's launch of groundbreaking websites like PetaKillsAnimals.com, ActivistCash.com, and MercuryFacts.org. A consumer advocate and nonprofit watchdog, David has testified about the threat of animal-rights violence and eco-terrorism before the United States Senate and has testified about the hidden agendas of some of today’s animal rights movement leaders before the U.S. House of Representatives. He blogs about the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) at www.HumaneWatch.org.

"Martosko says HSUS is playing a long game, looking 30 years down the road, and they are playing offense all of the time. Martosko said it takes about 30 years to move an idea from unthinkable to public policy. An idea moves from unthinkable, to radical, to acceptable, to sensible, to public policy. As an example, Martosko said to look at smoking bans in public places today. Thirty years ago that was unthinkable. To move an idea from unthinkable to public policy requires two things: money and imagination. HSUS has $191 million in assets and spent $130 million just on its marketing budget last year. Plus HSUS has an imagination to match its budget; just look at the ads they ran for Proposition 2......" (from Don't Be Afraid to Use the S-Word http://fbact.illumen.org/article.jsf?postId=7371 )

Another site of interest is the National Animal Interest Alliance
http://www.naiaonline.org/ In particular read Could Dogs be the Next Endangered Species? http://www.bewareanimalradicals.com/endangered_dogs.html

Other than that, there is not too much to report. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens at the shows.

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Memory Lane




Our granddaughter pulled out one of the dogs' photo albums last week to look at the pictures and of course wanted to know everyone's names, etc. I happened across this picture and wanted to share.

The picture of is of me (Oh how young I was! Probably 22 or 23. And thin!)with Lutzmor Dolsa Bo Jangles, the first dog we purchased as a show dog. Unfortunately, although he won a couple of points, he grew much too large for us to continue showing him. He was not too tall, but too large boned and built like a tank. I know when he matured he ended up weighing over 25 lbs.! We had him neutered and he was our pet. What he did was give me a lot of heavy coat to groom, and like so many "first" show dogs, gave me a dog to practice on and to learn from.

And he loved me!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you. Bo was one of many who has blessed my life.

Joyce

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Just An FYI and a Plea for Action

Today I am on a rant. For over 37 years I have enjoyed showing Lhasa Apsos, raising puppies, and meeting new people through showing and puppy sales. I have seen myself as a caring dog breeder, one who promotes the breed, who strives to better the breed, who tries to educate the public about the breed and to do some good in the world.

Call me paranoid, but I see threats to my hobby of showing and breeding. I see dog breeders condemned by animal rights activists for being dog breeders. I see dog breeders afraid to speak up to defend themselves against anti-breeding and anti-dog legislation cropping up in state after state for fear of reprisal, for fear that by speaking up they are painting targets on their own backs.

Some sad facts of life:
Some dog breeders raise puppies in substandard environments.
Some dog breeders see puppies as dollar signs, livestock, or commodities.
Some dog breeders' kennels are in deplorable conditions.
Some poor dogs never see the light of day or have a chance to run and play but are kept confined and bred, bred, bred until they are useless to their breeder and discarded.
Some dog breeders simply do not care about their dogs' health, environment, or potential.
SOME…not all, not even most,yet lately all are being targeted, the many being targeted for the sins of the few.

We've all seen the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) television advertising: the starving animals, the sad eyes, the sick dogs, cats, and horses being rescued. Let me say before I go on that anyone with an ounce of compassion hates seeing animals in those conditions and that our hearts go out to any living being with the capacity to love and be loved that suffers because of uncaring owners' abuse or neglect. Strict enforcement of the current Animal Welfare Act (AWA) would go a long way toward alleviating conditions leading to such abuse.

There is a movement afoot that, to anyone not knowing better and not understanding HSUS motives, sounds like a good cure for all this, especially as it concerns dogs. However, bills recently introduced in the Senate and Congress (S3424 and HR5434, known as the PUPS bills), if passed, may eventually spell the end of hobby breeders in this country. Anti-dog legislation in states across the country is often disguised as animal rights, animal welfare, or animal protection. Wipe out the hoarders, wipe out the awful puppy mills, wipe out the disreputable breeders…and in the process paint the reputable breeders with the same brush and wipe them out too. Ultimately the goal of the "animal rights" groups (i.e., HSUS and PETA) is met: no more dog ownership. Haven't you already noticed how language has insidiously changed from "dog owner" to "guardian" to "pet parent?" And haven't you noticed the change from "buying" to "adopting?"

If you are reading this blog, I assume you own and love a purebred Lhasa Apso or at least appreciate the breed. Whether you purchased that dog from me or from another Lhasa breeder, you love your dog and chances are, when he passes away, you will want another. Who can be without a Lhasa after loving one? Yet, repercussions from this legislation, if it passes, may preclude you from ever purchasing a puppy from a breeder like me again.

Why?

Consider the following comments then go to http://ifdco.homestead.com/legislation.html which is the legislation page of the Illinois Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners (IFDCO). Even if you are not from Illinois, the PUPS legislation has a national impact, so click the link for IFDCO's position statement about the bills before the House and Senate, and read why show and hobby breeders are troubled. Concerns include such items as the bill classifying a 4-month old female puppy as "breeding stock" if she is not spayed. Four months old folks! Females do not even have their first "season" until they are 6 months old or older! Many of us show breeders keep puppies longer than 4 months to evaluate them as potential show dogs. Even owning ONE such puppy, because she is not spayed and therefore has the potential to produce puppies (according to the PUPS legislation), turns a breeder into what the bill classifies as a "high volume" breeder. With the language of this bill, even if I have no dogs at my house yet co-own a 4-month old show prospect who resides with her co-breeder, that co-ownership makes me a "high volume" breeder because I own or co-own at least one intact female who is at least 4 months old.

Another statement says that a high volume breeder "offers for sale" 50 dogs in a one-year period. (Note the wording. It does not say "sells" but "offers for sale." There is a distinction.) For many hobby breeders, myself included, that seems excessive. I certainly have never in 37+ years of breeding offered 50 puppies or adults for sale in a single year's time. I seldom have more than two or three litters in a year, so someone like me might think, "Oh big deal. That number is so high it doesn't apply to most of us. We are exempt." But we won't be, especially if the bill passes and then the "powers that be" realize it is ridiculous to think one 4-month old puppy or even one adult female could ever produce 50 offspring in a year! Do you see an amendment in the making? It can be easy to make an amendment once a bill passes, especially based on logic (i.e., "How can a single female produce 50 puppies in a year? That makes no sense! We need to fix that! Let's lower that number.") Logic needs to be applied now, and logic says this bill has many faults.

And for a breeder like me whose dogs are housed in her home and who raises puppies in the house, the bill presents additional obstacles to my remaining a breeder.

To quote a section taken from the position statement:

"Consequences of the bill for the home hobby breeder: This bill poses enormous ramifications for a home hobby dog breeder that would now be defined under the Animal Welfare Act as a “High Volume Retail Breeder.” In order to be licensed, they would have to be inspected through APHIS to ensure that their facility (i.e., their home in most cases) meets the engineering standards required for a commercial USDA-licensed kennel. Unless such a breeder keeps their dogs kenneled in a separate portion of the home, and away from the "human" home proper, it would be difficult to meet the minimum engineering standards as directed. Several obvious conflicts arise when attempting to apply the specific kenneling standards contained in the AWA to the typical residential home where most dogs owned by hobby breeders live. These conflicts include:
1. The AWA requires that all walls, floors, and other surfaces that would be in direct contact with the dogs must be of a substance “impervious to moisture”. Therefore, carpeting, uncoated wood flooring, upholstered furniture, wallpaper, and fiber matting would generally not be considered as acceptable surfaces in areas of the house in which the dogs live. These materials, however, are extremely common in typical homes, including those of hobby breeders who do not require licensing under the current law.
2. Under the current AWA, “primary enclosure” surfaces and food and water bowls must be sanitized at least once every two weeks using one of the following allowed methods of cleaning: live steam under pressure; hot (minimum 180° F) water combined with soap or detergent; and a professional mixture of detergent with disinfectant. These cleaning methods are not readily available to a typical home owner, who maintains their dogs in their residence. These methods may also not be necessary for use on a frequent basis for an owner with only a small number of dogs living with the owner in his or her home.
3. The required size of primary enclosure is not in conformance with standard crate sizes for home use. According to dog breeder regulations found in the AWA, a “primary enclosures” (e.g., crate or pen) as defined must have the following square footage: (length of the dog in inches + 6 inches) x (length of the dog in inches + 6 inches) / 144, with “length of the dog” being measured from the tip of the dog’s nose to the base of the dog’s tail. In addition, the required height of the enclosure must be at least 6 inches taller than the dog when it is in a standing position. The results of these calculations provide for a much larger crate size than standard sizes generally used in a home. While perfectly desirable for dogs confined for long periods of time, such as at a professional kennel, these required enclosure sizes do not take into account that a dog which resides in a home with humans is typically crated only for a portion of the day, such as while the owners are at work.
Therefore, since dogs residing in their owners’ houses usually spend a regular portion of each day outside their crates, these mandated crate sizes are unrealistic and unnecessary for home use.
4. AWA regulations state that breeders are not to house their dogs with other species unless the two species are “compatible.” Many hobby breeders house other mammalian and non-mammalian species in their residence along with their dogs, in long-term safety and harmony for all pets. Should the “primary enclosure” for these dogs be the owner’s residence, shared with other species, it is unclear how an APHIS Inspector would view these multi-pet species households."


What I have presented here just scratches the surface of concerns that show breeders like myself have regarding our futures as dog breeders and exhibitors. Ramifications also exist for animal shelters, rescue groups, those who raise dogs for hunting, therapy, and other tasks.

Quoting another section from IFDCO's position statement:

"…New licensing requirements for home hobby breeders would drive many
of them away from this pursuit, lowering numbers of quality purposefully bred puppies available for the American public. It would become increasingly more difficult for a pet purchaser to obtain a healthy, socialized puppy of known pedigree, since the numbers of unregulated and “underground” breeders, producing puppies of questionable health and temperament, would proliferate, as would sources of “random bred” puppies. Potential negative implications from this bill exist also for kennels producing dogs for professionals, and even for the rescue community.
Finally, the bill’s provisions show neither an application nor understanding of scientific animal husbandry principles. Therefore, this bill must be opposed in its entirety."


Please visit the IFDCO website for links to the bills and to the IFDCO position statement. This bill, under the guise of addressing the "sad facts" listed at the beginning of this post, will punish the good with the bad, the caring, reputable breeders with the disreputable ones. Should this bill become law, it will affect breeders in every state. When hobby and show breeders disappear as a result of being unable to comply with the law's requirements, from where will you get your next puppy? A pet store? The local shelter? Will you get to sit on the floor of my family room and play with the litter? Will you get to meet your puppy's parents and perhaps even grandparents or aunts and uncles? Will you get to develop a relationship with a knowledgeable breeder to whom you can turn when you have questions or concerns?

Think about it, read the position statement, and decide to write some letters to Washington!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce

Monday, August 9, 2010

Show Results






The three-day show weekend in Burlington, IA was great fun and successful for us! Final count was 3 points for Zach, 2 points for Belle, a Group 3 under Mrs. Gomez and a Group 1 under Mr. Hutton for Walker.

I've posted some pictures taken of Walker during Non-sporting Group judging on Saturday and Sunday. He was a crowd favorite and loved the attention. He really turns on when the crowd cheers for him.

That's the news for now!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

More About the Puppies Available





When I last wrote, I mentioned to contact me if you or someone you know is looking for a Lhasa.

A recent serious illness of an American Lhasa Apso Club member resulted in the necessity of finding new homes for the majority of her adult dogs and all of her puppies.

Two of the available dogs are pictured. The one getting a bath is Mimmi and the other is Tonya.

The dogs are not with me but with friends in WI. If you are interested in finding out more about these dogs, please email me and I will give you the contact information of the people who are caring for the dogs and making efforts to find them loving homes. Males and females are available.

My email address is lhasas@joyslynslhasaapsos.com

Monday, August 2, 2010

Show Results and Some Other Things




In my last post I mentioned that we were headed to the Waukesha shows. We had a great time seeing Lhasa people and their dogs! The weather had been raining the days before the show so the ground was soggy and slippery and muddy and just generally yucky. Some people were walking around in very fashionable show clothes and rain boots. Those of us without boots either lost our shoes in the ring or sported muddy legs either from spatters or from, in my case, kneeling on the ground to pose the dogs. It was a toss up…muddy legs or bend over the dog hoping the skirt I was wearing was long enough for bending over modestly. Taking no chances, I opted for muddy legs.

Both my dogs showed better on Saturday than on Sunday. Belle took 2nd in her class of four on Saturday but by golly she walked in that grass and straw–covered mud. Walker took Best of Opposite Sex Saturday. On Sunday he took Select Dog. On Sunday Belle ended up 4th out of four, and rightly so. She just didn't care for trudging through the turf. Walker didn't either. I was more disappointed with their performances than with their placements.

After his Select Dog placement on Sunday, Walker had earned enough points to get his Grand Champion title. The Grand Champion title is a new (as of mid-May 2010) AKC title. Only champions of record can compete for the title. A dog has to earn 25 points under four different judges, defeating at least one other champion at three shows. Three of his wins have to be major wins of 3, 4, or 5 points. As with a championship, the points are determined by the number of dogs entered. Anyway, Walker met all of the qualifications in 6 shows, winning three 5 point majors, two 4 point majors, and one 3 point major. He won 4 Best of Breeds, one Best Opposite Sex, and one Select Dog on his way to the title. So, as you have assumed from reading this, I am quite pleased! At the top of the page is a photo of Walker taken in August last year at the Burlington, IA show.

Next weekend we are in Burlington, IA for three shows. We'll be inside in air conditioning and back on mats for showing. I've entered Zach, Desi, Belle, and Walker all three days. I'll have a lot of juggling to do. My husband said he'd go with me on Friday to help so that will be an adventure since he has not been in a show ring for years and years.

Oh...and I have finally joined the rest of the world and now am on Facebook.

If you or someone you know is looking for a Lhasa puppy, let me know. A recent serious illness of an American Lhasa Apso Club member resulted in the necessity of finding new homes for the majority of her adult dogs and all of her puppies. If you are interested in finding out more about these dogs, please email me and I will give you the contact information of the people who are caring for her dogs and making efforts to find them loving homes. My email address is lhasas@joyslynslhasaapsos.com

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce